August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face. WONDER, now a #1 New York Times bestseller and included on the Texas Bluebonnet Award master list, begins from Auggie’s point of view, but soon switches to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others. These perspectives converge in a portrait of one community’s struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance.

"Wonder is the best kids' book of the year," said Emily Bazelon, senior editor at Slate.com and author of Sticks and Stones: Defeating the Culture of Bullying and Rediscovering the Power of Character and Empathy. In a world where bullying among young people is an epidemic, this is a refreshing new narrative full of heart and hope. R.J. Palacio has called her debut novel “a meditation on kindness” —indeed, every reader will come away with a greater appreciation for the simple courage of friendship. Auggie is a hero to root for, a diamond in the rough who proves that you can’t blend in when you were born to stand out.

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Be sure to look for R.J. Palacio's upcoming Pluto: A Wonder Story on sale this February!

From the Hardcover edition.

Publishers Weekly Review

Feb 20, 2012 – Auggie Pullman was born with severe facial deformities—no outer ears, eyes in the wrong place, his skin "melted"—and he's learned to steel himself against the horrified reactions he produces in strangers. Now, after years of homeschooling, his parents have enrolled him in fifth grade. In short chapters told from various first—person perspectives, debut author Palacio sketches his challenging but triumphant year. Though he has some expectedly horrible experiences at school, Auggie has lucked out with the adults in his life—his parents love him unconditionally, and his principal and teachers value kindness over all other qualities. While one bully manages, temporarily, to turn most of Auggie's classmates against him, good wins out. Few first novels pack more of a punch: it's a rare story with the power to open eyes—and hearts—to what it's like to be singled out for a difference you can't control, when all you want is to be just another face in the crowd. Ages 8—12.

Customer Reviews

💗❤💗this book

by
Helpful reader

This book is amazing!! It is told from different characters points of view, which I ❤. It just the right amount of sadness and happiness. I would reccomend this book to any one, not just teens and tweens, but for people of all ages.

AMAZING!!!!!

by
Marcia Jean Schels

When I first read the sample, I thought it would be an okay novel so I took the chance and tried the book. I was in love with it every minute a word was seen with my eyes. The story was cute, with different perspectives, and I think you'll enjoy it a lot. ;)

Beautiful

by
BrySei

A beautifully simple tale and yet a page turner from the first sentence. I really do put it on par with "To Kill A Mockingbird" or "The Adventures of Huck Finn." "Wonder" shares with those great books the simple voice of young narrators, and the earnestness of those characters gives them a special insight and ability to talk about the timeless truths of what really matters and what it means to be a good person.

I'm better for having read this book, and I'm so thankful I heard about this book on NPR.